Players eager to catch up with Lamar Odom

Lakers players are looking forward to seeing Lamar Odom on Monday when the Dallas Mavericks visit Staples Center. For some, it will be the first time they will have spoken to their former teammate since he was traded before training camp opened.

Odom returns to the place he called home for seven seasons (11 if you count his time with the Clippers) and it is not expected to be an easy trip for the sensitive forward. Odom was upset to have been part of the three-team deal that would have brought Chris Paul to the Lakers and feeling unwanted, asked to be traded.

Lakers president Jim Buss obliged, sending him to the Mavericks, where is posting a career low 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds. He recently told reporters that he thought about taking the season off after a series of off-season events.

During the summer, Odom's 24-year-old cousin was murdered and a few days later, a car Odom was in as a passenger collided with a motorcycle, killing a teen-ager.

"It probably will be tough, but he'll be fine," Walton said. "He's one of the most naturally gifted players I've played with so once he gets into the groove of things, and starts practicing and playing everyday, he'll be fine."

Walton said he wasn't surprised Odom was deeply affected by the trade.

"This was family to him, you know. He's a very caring person when it comes to the people he's close to and he was close to a lot of people here," Walton said. "He was here for seven years. I wasn't shocked he took it hard."

Walton said what will be difficult is seeing Odom in anything other than a Lakers jersey.

"Yeah, it's going to be weird. Even when I see him on SportsCenter in that uniform, but it's part of the business," Walton said.

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